Exhibition
Legendary Futures
Origin of Life, 2011, by Mayank Shyam (Indian, born 1987). © Mayank Shyam
When
Through March 31, 2027
Where
Main Building, Gallery 321
Tickets
Free with museum admission
Membership
Members are always free
About
The five works in this exhibition showcase contemporary visions of extraordinary creatures. Paintings by Bhajju Shyam and Ram Singh Uruveti narrate specific long-shared stories of the Gond communities of India recast through a contemporary lens. Other pieces by Jangarh Singh Shyam, Mayank Shyam, and Ai Wei Wei portray marvelous animal life by layering the mythology of India and China onto present-day artistic practices. All this work proves the timelessness of activating the imagination—of the artists and we, the viewers—to envision multiple fantastic futures full of curious, dynamic, and exciting legends.
Image Gallery
The Woodpecker and the Ironsmith, 2011, by Ram Singh Urveti (Indian, born 1970). © Ram Singh Urveti
Tree and Snake, 1984, by Jangarh Singh Shyam (Indian, 1962–2001). © Jangarh Singh Shyam
Jalaarin Mata (Water-Queen Mother), 2012, by Bhajju Shyam (Indian, born 1971). © Bhajju Shyam
Heluo with Self-Portrait, 2023, by Ai Weiwei (Chinese, born 1957). Courtesy of Ai Weiwei Studio
About the Artists:
Curators
Hiromi Kinoshita, The Hannah L. and J. Welles Henderson Curator of Chinese Art
Katherine Anne Paul, The Stella Kramrisch Curator of Indian and Himalayan Art
Sponsors
Legendary Futures is made possible by The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global